﻿Candidates in Georgia’s 2018 races are raking in cash. Here’s the latest tally:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are reasons for and reasons against why candidates for higher state office in Georgia are now weighing a decision whether to resign from posts they already hold. It’s a particularly big questions for Georgia’s candidates for governor. Stacey Abrams, upper left, has already resigned from the Legislature. Republican Casey Cagle, upper center, will remain as lieutenant governor. Democratic state Rep. Stacey Evans, upper right, has yet to announce a decision. Republican state Sen. Michael Williams, lower right, has said he will keep his current job, as has Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, lower center. Republican state Sen. Hunter Hill, lower left, announced this week that he is resigning.

The contenders for Georgia’s 2018 elections face a deadline this week to report how much money they’ve collected for their campaigns.

The race for campaign cash isn’t everything. But it’s an indicator of the depth of their support and the viability of their candidacies — and it sends a message to influential activists and donors still waiting to pick a side in crowded races.

Many of the candidates have devoted months - some nearly a year - to calls pleading donors for cash and rounds of rubber-chicken dinners on the fundraising circuit. Several were eager to trumpet their numbers; others downplayed the figures.

Here’s our running tally for how much state candidates raised during the seven-month period between July 1 and Jan. 31:

Governor:

Democrat Stacey Abrams reported raising about $1.7 million this period, and had about $460,000 in cash on hand. She’s raised roughly $2.3 million total.

Republican Casey Cagle raised about $4 million this period and has roughly $5.75 million on hand. He’s raised about $6.7 million total.

Democrat Stacey Evans reported collecting nearly $2.3 million since she jumped in the race, including a $1 million loan and another $250,000 check. She had roughly $1.5 million to spend in the May primary.

Republican Hunter Hill raised $1.1 million this period and has roughly $1.5 million on hand. He’s raised about $2.2 million since he jumped in the race in April.

Republican Brian Kemp collected about $1.2 million this period and has roughly $2.1 million on hand. He’s amassed about $2.9 million since entering the race last year.

Businessman Clay Tippins raised about $2.1 million since entering the race in November, and his campaign reported $1.7 cash on hand. He loaned himself $450,000.

Republican Michael Williams raised about $230,000 this period, including a loan of $500,000. He has raised a total of roughly $1.8 million, including $1.5 million in loans. His campaign reported $1.3 million cash on hand.

Lieutenant governor:

Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico raised about $500,000 since entering the race, including a $186,000 loan. She has $300,000 on hand.

Republican Geoff Duncan raised about $400,000 this period, including a loan of $250,000. He has raised a total of $720,000, including $400,000 in loans. He has $515,000 on hand.

Republican Rick Jeffares raised $350,000 this period. He has raised $700,000 overall and has $420,000 on hand.

Republican David Shafer raised $650,000 this period and $1.55 million overall. He has $1.48 million on hand.

Secretary of State:

Democrat John Barrow raised about $340,000 since he got in the race in September, and reported roughly $236,000 in cash on hand.

Republican David Bell Isle raised about $60,000 this period and has about $350,000 total with $150,000 cash on hand.

Republican Buzz Brockway raised about $60,000 this period and has collected about $120,000 overall. He has nearly $60,000 on hand.

Democrat Dee Dawkins-Haigler and R.J. Hadley reported less than $5,000 in contributions.

Republican Josh McKoon raised about $200,000 and has about $150,000 cash on hand.

Republican Brad Raffensperger collected about $170,000 this period, including a $120,000 loan. He’s raised $260,000 overall, including about $140,000 in loans, and has about $80,000 on hand.

Attorney General:

Republican Chris Carr, the incumbent, raised about $540,000 this period and has $672,000 on hand. He’s raised roughly $1 million total.

Democrat Charles Bailey entered the race after the filing deadline.

Insurance Commissioner:

Republican Jim Beck collected $1.1 million this period, including $740,000 in loans. He has about $1 million in cash on hand.

Some Republican leaders, concerned about the impact President Donald Trump’s low national approval ratings could have on GOP candidates in this year’s congressional midterm elections, think Karen Handel blazed a trail they can follow to success when she won last year’s special election in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / Special to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Some Republican leaders, concerned about the impact President Donald Trump’s low national approval ratings could have on GOP candidates in this ... read more

﻿6th Congressional District:

Incumbent Karen Handel, R-Roswell, raised roughly $261,000 in the fourth quarter of 2017. She ended the year with about $573,000 on hand.

Bobby Kaple, a Democratic newcomer and former Atlanta TV anchor, raised $255,000 since he entered the race in mid-October, but more than one-third of that came from a loan he gave his campaign. He had $232,000 on hand to end the year.

Democrat Kevin Abel, a businessman, raised $204,000, although a quarter of that was money he loaned his campaign. He started 2018 with $154,000 in the bank.

Richard Keatley, a Democrat and college professor from Tucker, said he raised $40,000 in the final months of 2017 and had $27,000 in the bank.

7th Congressional District:

﻿Incumbent Rob Woodall, R-Lawrenceville, who is seeking his fifth term in Congress, led the fundraising field, reporting $151,000 in the fourth quarter and $406,000 cash on hand.

Carolyn Bourdeaux, a GSU professor, bested her Democratic opponents last quarter, raising $128,000. She had $138,000 in the bank.

Test prep company owner David Kim raised $110,000 late last year (nearly $89,000 of which was a loan), and banked $222,000.

Lawyer Ethan Pham loaned his campaign $20,000 in the fall, raising a total of $74,000. He had about $166,000 on hand for the new year.

Three other Democrats and Shane Hazel, a Republican Marine Corps veteran, raised less than $25,000 each.

10th Congressional District:

The half-dozen candidates who have announced their intent to run in this east-central Georgia district raised a grand total of $64,000 in the fourth quarter.

Incumbent Jody Hice, R-Monroe, pulled in more than half of that, or about $36,000. He had $175,000 on hand for the new year.